Capital One Puts $360 Million Media Business Into Review

Incumbent MediaVest Expected to Defend Account

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Capital One is putting its $360 million media account up for review, according to executives with knowledge of the review. The business has been managed by Publicis Groupe's MediaVest for nearly a decade.

The shop is expected to defend, according to executives with knowledge of the matter. The agency referred calls to the marketer, which did not return calls before press time.

An industry executive with knowledge of the review said it is being driven with an eye toward cost savings and efficiency.

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Capital One was No. 93 on Ad Age's 100 Leading National Advertisers report with more than $362 million in U.S. ad spending last year. The bank's ad spending was slashed dramatically between 2009 and 2008 when it was No. 61 on Ad Age's 100 Leading National Advertisers list with more than $650 million spent on media in the U.S.

In September, Capital One shifted its digital-media business to Dentsu's 360i from Publicis' Razorfish after a review.

In October, MediaVest picked up Yahoo's global media account. The search engine spent $45 million on measured media in the U.S. last year, according to Kantar Media. The agency lost Wrigley duties in a shift to Publicis sibling Starcom in May, but that same month won the $70 million traditional and digital media-planning and -buying accounts for Aflac. The agency also won CBS Films' media account in March and Turner Broadcasting handed it the media duties on its $155 million account in February.